Arrangement for automatically changing phonograph records



Dec.'2, 1952 P. A. DE BOER 2,620,194

ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGING PHONOGRAPH RECORDS Filed Jan. 50,1947 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IWVQTI'Z Oh Pail-us A. De Boer- Dec. 2, 1952 P. A.DE BOER 2,620,194

ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGING PHONOGRAPH RECORDS Filed Jan. 30,19 47 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2

Dec. 2, 1952 P. A. DE BOER ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGINGPHONOGRAPH RECORDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 30, 1947 w/i/vme Firms1755455 W MZ%/l% Dec. 2, 1952 P. A. DE BOER ARRANGEMENT FORAUTOMATICALLY CHANGING PHONOGRAPH RECORDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan.30', 194'? hum r05 PET/FMFA 555056 fiws- P. A. DE BOER Dec. 2, 1952ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGING PHONOGRAPI-I RECORDS Filed Jan.30, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wyn/r05 Pereus ,4. 555956 5%QW 7KW m wt Dec.2, 1952 p. A. DE BOER 2,620,194

ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGING PHONOGRAPH RECORDS Filed Jan. 30,1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ilhlhlllllllllllllIIIM|'lIII/IIIIlIIIIlIII/IIIIIII 'IIIII/IIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIII/IlI II/II/IIIIAva r06 Pine/5,4. 1755059 Patented Dec. 2, 1952 OFFICE ARRANGEMENT FORAUTOMATICALLY CHANGING PHONOGRAPH RECORDS Petrus Anthonius De Boer,Amsterdam, Netherlands Application January 30, 1947, Serial No. 725,233In the Netherlands October 16, 1944 6 Claims. 1

The invention relates to an arrangement for automatically changing therecords to be played on a phonograph by successively freeing the lowestrecord from a magazine situated above the turntable. In particular, theinvention contemplates the production of a simple and practicablearrangement which can be applied to all phonographs without their havingto be specially modified, this being itself of an economical struc-*ture.

The invention is particularly characterized by a control mechanismconnected to the exploring arm (needle arm) and actuated step by stepfrom the pivot of the turntable the mechanism effecting on one hand themovement of the arm for lifting the needle and the movement of the armby rotation after the playing of a record, and displacing on the otherhand an arrangement combined with the magazine in such a manner that thelowest disc of the pile of records is freed in order to be placed in theplaying position and at the same time the stack situated above thisrecord is held in its stored position, while the mechanism is maintainedin an inactive position during the playing of a record.

According to the invention the mechanism may comprise a ratchet wheel inwhich engages a pawl rod fixed to the pivot of the turntable, the teethof this ratchet being however locally interrupted, so that during theplaying of a record, the hooked end of the pawl rod operates only on thetoothless part of the periphery of the ratchet and that this ratchetitself remains inactive.

Further according to the invention, the exploring arm can towards theend of the played record communicate to the ratchet wheel an angulardisplacement, such that the pawl rod can then take over the operation ofthe ratchet and can complete the revolution started.

Moreover, a special characteristic of the invention consists in that theexploring arm is fixed for pivoting in a vertical direction, to a partof the mechanism which allows at the same time a pivotal movement in ahorizontal plane, the two movements being derived from a flatnonsymmetrical disc which is connected to the ratchet wheel, while asecond cam disc, also connected to the ratchet, operates upon adisplacing member which is connected, in its turn, to the device servingto free each time the lowest record in the magazine.

A modification of the invention relates to a very simple and rationalmode of execution of the device for changing the records. It relates inaddition to the actuation of this device by means of the controlmechanism.

This modification is characterized by the fact that the records in thepile in reserve are slid on asupporting pin, the axis of which is aprolongation of the axis of the spindle of the turntable, of which thelower free extremity is located just opposite this spindle and of whichthe portion passing through the records of the pile is flattenedthroughout its whole length in such a manner as to form a supportingface for the pile of records and these records are maintained in theposition of engagement 0n the said pin by means of a second pin whichextends along the rear face of the supporting pin, the lower fiatextremity of this second pin extending exactly to the upper face of thelowest record in such a manner that this record can be caused to slidelaterally with respect to the pile of records until it arrives at i. e.registers with the full unconstricted portion of the supporting pin.

Finally the invention is characterized by various constructive detailsof which a more precise description will be given below.

The invention will be explained with reference to the drawings of whichFigures 1-7 illustrate a first mode of execution and Figures 8-11 asecond mode of execution.

Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation, ofthe complete apparatus.

Figures 2 and 3 show in plan two examples of the control of the ratchetwheel, whilst:

Figures 4 and 5 show, as seen from above, certain elements of themechanism for changing a record.

Figures 6 and '7 show views respectively from the front and from abovethe apparatus proposed for freeing one by one the lowest records fromthe magazine.

Figure 8 is a front view of the record changing device according to thesecond mode of execution comprising a partial view in section of theturntable and of the control mechanism.

Figure 9 is a corresponding plan view.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view in section along the line AB of Figure8.

Figure 11 serves to explain the operation of the second mode ofexecution.

In Figure l, I indicates the turntable of a phonograph of any usualconstruction, this turntable being mounted in the known manner on acoaxial part 2 of the pivot for the turntable. On this pivot 2 isrigidly fixed an eccentric ring 3 around which one of the ends of a pawlrod 4 is mounted in the manner of an eccentric; a rotary movement of thepivot 2 thus causes a reciprocatory movement of the pawl rod 4. Theother extremity of the pawl rod engages a ratchet wheel 5 in such amanner that the ratchet 5 is rotated by one tooth for each revolution ofthe turntable or of the phonograph record. A spring 6 (Figure 2) whichis attached to a fixed post 1, exerts a pressure on the pawl rod 4 inthe direction of the ratchet wheel, so that the end of the rod restscontinually against the periphery during the reciprocatory movement.Instead of an eccentric ring, a non-symmetrical disc (Figure 3) could beused, the disc being fixed to the part 2 and moving against the side ofthe lever .9 of which one end is mounted for rotation about a fixedpoint 8, while its other end is pivotally connected to the pawl rod [0.A spring H serves not only to press the lever 9 continually a ainst thenon-symmetrical disc 3, but also to press the pawl rod continuallyagainst the ratchet wheel 5.

The ratchet Wheel forms a unit, or is joined, in some other manner, witha cam disc l2 and with a flat non-symmetrical disc l3; this assemblagecan rotate around a fixed spindle i4 which'is mounted in the frame Hiindicates the usual exploring arm of the phonograph; this arm, which isof inverted U section, is mounted to hinge about a horizontal journal1"! and can turn in a vertical direction about this journal. The latteris carried in a bearing [8 which carries a cylindrical part 19 which canin turn rotate in a projection 'l 5 from the frame [5. In this mannerthe bearing [8 and the exploring arm It can also be angularly displacedin the horizontal plane.

This displacement of the exploring arm in a vertical direction iseifected by means of a pin which is guided in the cylindrical part I!)of the bearing 18 and which is supported by its upper extremity againstthe interior of the arm I6, whilst its other end is in contact with thedisc I3.

A groove 2| is provided in this disc l3; when the pin 20 falls into thisgroove the exploring arm it occupies its lowest position, that is to saywith the needle in contact with the phonograph record.

Moreover, disc I3 is provided, on its periphery with a notch 22 (Figure4) a stop 23 can fall into this notch and press against the disc, thisstop forming the extremity of a lever 24 which is joined to thecylindrical part [9 of the bearing [8.

As :shown in Figures 2 and 3 the teeth of the ratchet wheel 5 areinterrupted at one point, that is to say one tooth is omitted. As aresult, when the end of the pawl rod 4 or [3 is held pressed against theperiphery of the ratchet 5 on this untoothed part, the rod does notdisplace a tooth during the reciprocatory movement, that is to say noangular displacement will be imparted to the ratchet wheel.

The cam disc I2 is furnished with a projecting part 12a, as shownspecially in Figure 5; under the action of a spring .25 the end of onearm of an oscillating lever 26 is held permanently against the peripheryof the disc 12, the said lever being able to move about a fixed point21. The other arm of this lever is connected with the arrangementserving to free each time a new record from the magazine. This discmagazine is situated above the platform I and in such manner, that thecenter of the records 28 piled-up in the magazine corresponds with thecenter of the turntable I. If one retract upwards a retractable pivot29, a certain number of phonograph records can he slid laterally in themagazine and placed on the supporting surfaces of members 32 and 33which will be found yet in the position of rest, as is described in thefollowing and as represented in Figure 6. By pushing the retractablepivot 29 into the reverse position by a guiding bush 2911 through therecords 28, the latter are centered in a simple manner by the pointedpart of the pivot which threads its way through the central apertures ofthe records. Then the pivot 29 is replaced into the normal position inthe guiding bush 29a, so that it is able to support itself by the part30, shaped like a toadstool, on the pivot 2 of the turntable, thusensuring a good guiding of the records during their exit from themagazine to the turntable. In order to hold the pile of records and tofree each time one .record, an arrangement is provided which will bedescribed more in detail in the following (see especially Figures 6 and7).

A double lever 3| is mounted for rotation about the guiding bush 29a ofthe vertical pivot 29 which passes through the records; each of the freeends of this lever is pivotallyconnected to a member 32 or 33. Thesemembers take the form of fiat'plates which are guided in the horizontalplane and which are bent at their ends in a right angle downwards andthen "in an inward direction, the lower edge constituting thus asupporting surface sufiiciently large for the stack of records 28. Whenmember 32 is displaced to the right, the member 33 will be displaced atthe same time to the left by the double lever 31, and vice versa; inother words for an angular movement of the double lever 3| the twomembers are displaced either simultaneously inwards or simultaneouslyoutwards. A spring 34 attached at one end to a fixed point on the frameserves to keep the said members as far inwards as possible. At the freeends of lever 3| are also connected the ends of two resilient members,in the form of plates 35 and 36, particularly in such a manner that whenmembers 32 and 33 are outwardly displaced as a result of the angulardisplacement of double lever 3|, the said members 35 and 36 are at thesame time, inwardly displaced and vice versa. These members 35 and 36are also guided during their horizontal movements and are also bentdownwards and inwards. The ends of each of the parts which are turnedinwards are made in the form of beaks which are approximately at thesame height as the plane of separation between the lowest record 28 andthe record immediately above the latter. With regard to their horizonta1guiding, the members 35 and 36 have a certain play in the verticaldirection, so that they can adapt their position according to thethickness of the phonograph records to be freed. The outward or inwarddisplacement of members 32, '33, 35 and 3B is efiected by the movementof the upper arm of the oscillatory lever '26, which is connected at 31to member 32, this movement being derived from the cam disc l2; thereturn movement is effected by means of spring 34.

The apparatus operates as follows:

Suppose that a record is being played on the turntable; the variouselements of the arrangements are then in such a position that the pin 20engages by its lower end in the groove 2| and thus holds the exploringarm in its lowest position, the needle being lowered on to the record;this can then be displaced in the usual manner along the needle track.Further the ratchet wheel is in a position such that the end of the pawlrod 4 (or ill) falls exactly in the untoothed part of the periphery, inother words this rod is reciprocally displaced during the playing, butit does not actively operate on the ratchet wheel which remains at rest.Finally, the end of the -'5 oscillating lever 26 is in contact with thelower part of the periphery of the cam disc l2 and members 32 and 33 arein the innermost position, under the action of spring 34. The stack ofrecords is resting in the magazine with their lower faces on the largesupporting surfaces of these members, whilst the members 35 and 36 arefor the present'in the outermost position, their beaks not being incontact with the stack of records.

A little before the end of the time of the playing of the record placedon the turntable, arm 24 is, by a movement of the exploring arm to whichit is connected, brought from the position A shown in Figure 4 into theposition B at the end of the playing of the record. This causes the disc|3 to turn a little in the direction of the arrow (Figure 4) by lever24, which is connected to member l9 and thus also to arm I6, by means ofits stop 23 which is against the inner face of notch 22, the amplitudeof this rotation of disc l3 being such that the untoothed part of theratchet wheel 5 is just turned beyond the end of the pawl rod 4 andwhich itself now goes into engagement with the teeth of the ratchetwheel. During the further rotation of the turntable the displacement ofthis ratchet wheel is produced particularly in such a way that for eachrevolution of the turntable the wheel is moved to the extent of onetooth so as to complete thus the total revolution of this wheel.

During this revolution, the mechanism which automatically changes therecord, now comes into action. In the first place the end of pin 25! isdisengaged from the groove 2| and is moved upwards on to the upper fiatface of the nonsymmetrical disc l3; consequently an angular movement inthe vertical plane, about the hinge H, is communicated to the exploringarm l5 and the needle is raised from the record. At the same time thepart of the disc l3 which is behind the notch 22 in the direction of therotation, causes an angular movement of lever 24 and thus of arm |6 inthe horizontal plane, causing it to turn outwards for such a distancethat the position of the lever 24 connected to the exploring armcorresponds to the position C in which the new record before beingplayed can, during its downward slide pass freely at the side of theexploring arm.

Meanwhile the movement of ratchet 5 has also caused the displacement ofthe lower arm of oscillating lever 23 to the extent of the raised partof the cam disc l2. From this fact, this end is displaced towards theleft and the upper arm of the said lever is displaced towards the right,While the plate-like member 32 which is connected to this arm, islikewise displaced towards the right, that is to say outwards, againstthe action of spring 34. As has already been shown above, the member 33is likewise displaced simultaneously outwards, whilst the two members 35and 36 are moved inwards under the action of double lever 3|. The resultof this is that in their extreme inward positions the beaks provided onthe lower faces of the members 35 and 36 seize and hold the stack at aheight of the second lowest record, whilst, because the supporting facesof members 32 and are in their extreme outward position, the lowestrecord 28 is freed and is completely separated from the stack, thisrecord thus being able to slide down the length of the vertical pivot 29until it rests on the turntable, or on the record or records alreadyplayed which are on the turntable. By

reason of the shape of cam disc I 2 the lower extremity of oscillatinglever 26 is now quickly freed. Thus after freeing of the lowest recordof the magazine the system of levers is restored quickly to its initialposition with the supporting faces of 32 and 33 again in their places,before the stack of records has dropped a distance equal to thethickness of one record. It is seen thus that the return movement of thesystem of levers does not have to work against the pressure of the stackof records resting on their supporting faces, so that a weak spring issufilcient to effect the movement.

The exploring arm l6 which has its lever 24 in the extreme position Cduring the discharge of the lowest record, is moved to the position D bythe effect of rotation which ratchet wheel 5 makes and under the actionof a spring not shown in the drawing, the needle then being above theinitial groove of the record. The pin 20 now reaches the groove 2| ofcam disc I3. The arm l6 descends now so that the needle comes to rest onthe record which can now be played. At this moment the ratchet wheel 5or the mechanism co-operating with it has exactly finished onerevolution, and the end of the pawl rod 4 is again in the non-toothedpart of this wheel. Position D indicates thus the position of anexploring arm It at the beginning of the playing of a record, all themembers being again in the starting position.

As appears from what has gone before the construction of the arrangementis very simple. What is essential, is the control mechanism, which,according to the invention, has thus a double function and of which theprinciple elements comprise the ratchet wheel and the cam discs. Byreason of such an arrangement the number of rotating parts subjected touse, by

-. friction or otherwise, is reduced to a minimum,

no wear can be produced in the members connected and co-operatingbetween themselves, so that a reliable operation of the assembly isalways assured. Moreover, the construction of a double lever 3|displaced about a pivot passing through the record always ensures asimultaneous freeing at the desired moment of a new record and theholding of the pile at rest.

The arrangement can not only be applied to new phonographs, but it canalso be adapted to existing phonographs; by mounting the assemblage in aframe open at the bottom, it can be slipped over the turntable. It goeswithout saying, that the manner of carrying out the invention describedabove is given only by way of example, and that it can be modified inits details without departing from the scope of the invention.

Now the second mode of execution of the device according to theinvention as illustrated in the Figures 8-11, will be explained below.

In Figure 8 the pile of records I, placed in the so-called magazine withthe object of being able to change the records one by one, is slid uponthe extremity of a supporting pin 2.

This supporting pin has its axis as a prolongation of the axis of thespindle of the turntable and its lower free extremity is situated justopposite the upper extremity of this spindle. In the example illustratedin the drawings the pin 2 is slightly curved at an intermediate pointand terminates in an upper flattened portion 3, in such a manner thatthe records of the pile can be caused to slide smoothly one by onedownwards along the pin. The flattened portion 3 is formed by partially:removing :the material of the pin 2 throughout the whole of the lengthof that portion extending through the records. There is thus formed asupporting face 4 :on which rests the pile of records I, while the upperextremity of the pin 2 penetrates into an opening provided in theextremity of an arm 5 which can be raised, said extremity being fixed inthe arm 5 by means of a-screw'6. In this same arm is fixed a second pin1 which likewise extends through the records and is located between therear face of the portion 3 of the supporting pin 2 and the interior faceof the central holes in the records. By this means is effectedsimultaneously the locking in place of all the records. The supportingpin 2 and the pin 1 can be adjusted relatively to one another in such amanner that the lower fiat extremity of the pin 1 extends exactly to theupper face of the lower record. In other words this latter record can bedisplaced freely in its own plane independently of the other records.This result is effected in a manner which will be described in greaterdetail below at the moment when a new record is required to be placed onthe turntable. It is obvious that the construction described presentsthe appreciable advantage that the same device can be utilised forrecords of different thickness. It is suificient for this purpose, toeffect suitable adjustment of the relative positions of the pins 2 and1.

The arm 5 capable of being raised, is mounted to pivot about a pin 8 ina frame member 9 which-in the example illustrated in the drawing-isconstructed of plates H] which are fixed to the chassis II of thecontrol mechanism (see Figure 9-). With the object of inserting thephonograph records the arm 5 can be raised by hand and it then movesbetween the plates I into the position shown in dot and dash in Figure8. In its working position the arm comes to rest at its extremity, whichis in the form of a cam, against a fixed abutment which is likewisemounted in the frame 9 and for example may take the form of a pin l2. Asa result of this construction the lower extremity of the supporting pin2 remains free from the spindle I! of the turntable, which accordinglyhas no load on it.

The pile of records rests not only on the sup- :porting face 4, butlikewise at a place on its periphery on a fixed supporting face 13 whichforms part of the frame 9. It is known that the method of manufacture ofrecords in general gives rise to local inequalities in thickness, thatis in weight, 'at various points on the record and the positioning ofthe record in the manner which has just been described could give riseto the danger that the pile might overturn. In order to avoid thisinconvenience a pressure plate 1'4 is provided which rests freely on theupper face of the pile l and is integral with a pin I5 which can becaused to slide in a hole in the arm 5 which can be raised. Should therebe any tendency of the pile to overturn, the pressure plate l4 opposesthis movement; in fact this plate cannot take part in an overturningmovement, because the lateral friction of the pin it in the arm 5, whichwould result, is sufiiciently great to prevent movement of this pin andthe plate M.

The control of the device for changing the record is carried out bymeans of a transmission from the control mechanism of the exploring arm.

This mechanism may correspond to that of the first mode of execution.The step by step operation from the spindle of the turntable is thusobtained by means pf za'ipawl 'rod 16 the to and fro movement .;of whichis derived from the rotational movement of the spindle H of theturntable. During the playing of a :record the extremity of the pawl.rod is displacedalonganontoothed portion of the ratchet wheel 18 andwhen the playing of 'a record "is finished the movement of the exploringarm imparts to the ratchet wheel I 8 which is linked to the 'controldisc 20, an angular displacement such that the extremity of the pawl rodI 6 then comes into :ontact with the toothed portion of the periphery ofthe ratchet wheel 18 and thus brings about the step by step actuation ofthe control mechanism. The control of the 'device for changing therecords is in turn derived from the movement of the control-mechanism.

For this purpose and as is the case in the first mode of execution,there can be provided for example a lever 2| (see Figure 11) of whichone extremity is pivotally mounted about :a fixed point, for example thepin l2, while the other extremity is applied to the edge of the controldisc 22 which is fixed on the spindle 23 of the control mechanism. Thelever 2| can-be articulated to a sliding member 24 which serves "toproduce the lateral displacement of the lowest record of the stack 1 Theabove described second mode of execution, however, contemplates a devicewhich effects the same control from the control mechanism but in a muchmore simple manner, such that it becomes possible among other things tofulfill the function of one of the control discs by the spindle .of thecontrol mechanism and in this way to avoid the existence of this controldisc itself.

As shown in Figure 8 which incorporates this improvement, the slidingmember is constituted by an element 25 of which one extremity can slidereciprocally over the fixed supporting face l3, while its otherextremity is urged against a control cam 21 by means of a spring 26. Thecam 21 (see Figure 9) is formed at the upper extremity of the spindle 23of the control mechanism, particularly by removing for a predeterminedheight, the material of this extremity of the spindle following a planesurface. During the rotation of the spindle 23, the sliding member 25 isdisplaced in the direction of the center of the record.

The device operates as follows:

After the playing of a record placed on the turntable and after, asindicated in the firstmode of execution, the extremity of the pawl rod[6 has been brought into engagement with the toothed periphery of theratchet wheel I 8 as a result of the movement of the exploring arm, thesaid ratchet Wheel I 8 is displaced gradually as is also the controlmechanism. During this movement the exploring arm is raised from therecord, displaced upwards and is pivoted horizontally above the record.At the same time the sliding member 25 is urged by the fiat side .of thecam 2'! under the influence of the rotation of the spindle 23. On thisaccount the said member is displaced against the action of the spring 26towards the lowest record of the stack I. As a result of itsdisplacement the member 25 urges the lowest record until its centralhole arrives just above the full portion of the supporting pin 2, saidrecord subsequently sliding downwards along this pin and finallyarriving on the turntable. In the meantime the sliding 9 member 25 hasbeen withdrawn under the action of the tension spring 26 while continuinto follow the movement of the'cam 27. As soon as the member 25 becomesdisengaged from the stack of records the latter is enabled to descend bya distance corresponding to the thickness of one record and to occupyagain a position corresponding to the original position which has beenconsidered as the starting point. Towards the end of the revolution ofthe ratchet wheel, the exploring arm is finally brought back under theinfluence of the rotation of the control disc 29 into the startingposition for the playing of a record.

By means of the device according to the invention and the method ofcontrol of the exploring arm, which has been described in the first modeof execution, a constructive assembly is produced which is very simpleand which in addition presents the advantage of being capable ofadaptation to any phonograph.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is:

1. In a phonograph having a turntable, a tone arm and a record feedingmagazine, a control device comprising a rotary element, a ratchet wheelfixed coaxially to said rotary element and having a plurality of ratchetteeth spaced about the circurnference of said wheel with the teethlocally interrupted, a pawl having one end positioned to engage thecircumferential portion of the ratchet wheel, and a cam driven with theturntable and cooperating with said pawl for reciprocating the latterthrough a distance corresponding to the distance between two ratchetteeth on the ratchet wheel whereby rotation of the ratchet wheel willterminate when the pawl engages the portion of the circumference of theratchet wheel having the teeth interrupted, a tone arm carrier mountedfor pivotal movement about a vertical axis, means mounting the end ofthe arm remote from the needle carrying end thereof on said carrier forpivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said rotary element includinga cam, and cam following means engaging said cam for shifting said tonearm about its horizontal and vertical pivoting axes.

2. In a phonograph having a turntable, a tone arm and a record feedingmagazine, a control device comprising a rotary element, a ratchet wheelfixed coaxially to said rotary element and having a plurality of ratchetteeth spaced about the circumference of said wheel with the teethlocally interrupted, a pawl having one end positioned to engage thecircumferential portion of the ratchet wheel, a cam driven with theturntable and cooperating with said pawl for reciprocating the latterthrough a distance corresponding to the distance between two ratchetteeth on the ratchet wheel whereby rotation of the ratchet wheel willterminate when the pawl engages the portion of the circumference of theratchet wheel having the teeth interrupted, a tone arm carrier mountedfor pivotal movement about a vertical axis, means mounting the end ofthe arm remote from the needle carrying end thereof on said carrier forpivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said rotary element includinga cam flat disc having a peripheral cam surface and a depression in itsplane surface, an arm on said carrier engaging the peripheral camsurface for shifting the tone arm carrier about its vertical axis, and

10 a pin extending vertically through the carrier with its upper endengaging the tone-arm and ,its lower end engaging the depression foreffecting movement of the tone arm about its horizontal axis.

3. In a phonograph having a turntable, a tone arm and a record feedingmagazine, a control device comprising a rotary element, a ratchet wheelfixed coaxially to said rotary element and having a plurality of ratchetteeth spaced about the circumference of said wheel with the teethlocally interrupted, a pawl having one end positioned to engage thecircumferential portion of the ratchet wheel, and a cam driven with theturntable and cooperating with said pawl for reciproeating the latterthrough a distance corresponding to the distance between two ratchetteeth on the ratchet wheel whereby rotation of the ratchet wheel willterminate when the pawl engages the portion of the circumference of theratchet wheel having the teeth interrupted, a tone arm carrier mountedfor pivotal movement about a vertical axis, means mounting the end ofthe arm remote from the needle carrying end thereof on said carrier forpivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said rotary element includinga cam, cam following means engaging said cam for shifting said tone armabout its horizontal and vertical pivoting axes, and means carried bythe tone arm and rotary element and operable at the end of playing arecord for shifting the ratchet Wheel through a circumferential distanceto bring the toothed portion of the wheel to a position to be engaged bythe pawl.

4. In a phonograph having a turntable, a tone arm and a record feedingmagazine, a control device comprising a rotary element, a ratchet wheelfixed coaxially to said rotary element and having a plurality of ratchetteeth spaced about the circumference of said wheel with the teethlocally interrupted, a pawl having one end positioned to engage thecircumferential portion of the ratchet wheel, and a cam driven with theturntable and cooperating with said pawl for reciprocating the latterthrough a distance corresponding to the distance between two ratchetteeth on the ratchet wheel whereby rotation of the ratchet wheel willterminate when the pawl engages the portion of the circumference of theratchet wheel having the teeth interrupted, a tone arm carrier mountedfor pivotal movement about a vertical axis, means mounting the end ofthe arm remote from the needle carrying end thereof on said carrier forpivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said rotary element includinga cam, and cam following means engaging said cam for shifting said tonearm about its horizontal and vertical pivoting axes, said rotary elementhaving a shoulder in the peripheral portion thereof and a stop movablewith the tone arm and shiftable by the tone arm, when the latter hasbeen shifted by a record to the centermost position of the turntable toengage said shoulder and rotate the ratchet wheel through an are equalto the distance between two ratchet teeth to bring the toothed portionof the wheel to a position to be engaged by the pawl.

5. In a phonograph having a turntable, a tone arm and a record feedingmagazine, a control device comprising a rotary element, a ratchet wheelfixed coaxially to said rotary element and having a plurality of ratchetteeth spaced about the circumference of said wheel with the teethlocally interrupted, a pawl having one end positioned to engage thecircumferential portion of the ratchet wheel, a cam driven with theturntable and cooperating with said pawl for reciprocating the latterthrough a distance corresponding to the distance between two ratchetteeth on the ratchet wheel whereby rotation of the ratchet wheel willterminate when the pawl engages the portion of the circumference of theratchet wheel having the teeth interrupted, means carried by the tonearm and rotary element and operable at the end of playing a record forshifting the ratchet wheel through a circumferential distance to bringthe toothed portion of the wheel to a position to be engaged by thepawl, a tone arm carrier mounted for pivotal movement about a verticalaxis, means mounting the end of the arm remote from the needle carryingend thereof on said carrier for pivotal movement about a horizontalaxis, said rotary element including a cam fiat disc having a peripheralcam surface and a depression in its plane surface, an arm on saidcarrier engaging the peripheral cam surface for shifting the tone armcarrier about its vertical axis, and a pin extending vertically throughthe carrier with its upper end engaging the tone arm and its lower endengaging the depression for eifecting movement of the tone arm about itshorizontal axis.

6. In a phonograph having a turntable, a tone armand a record feedingmagazine, a control device comprising a rotary element, a ratchet wheelfixed coaxially to said rotary element and having aplurality of ratchetteeth spaced about the circumference of said wheel with the teethlocally interrupted, a pawl having one end positioned to engage thecircumferential portion of the ratchet wheel, a cam driven with theturntable andcooperating with said pawl for reciprocating the latterthrough a distance corresponding to the distance between two ratchetteeth on the ratchet wheel whereby rotation of the ratchet 12 wheel willterminate when the pawl engages the portion of the circumference of theratchet wheel having the teeth interrupted, said rotary element having ashoulder in the peripheral portion thereof and a stop movable with thetone arm and shiftable by the tone arm, when the latter has been shiftedby a record to the centermost position of the turntable to engage saidshoulder and rotate the ratchet wheel through an are equal to thedistance between two ratchet teeth to bring the toothed portion of thewheel to a position to be engaged by the pawl, a tone arm carriermounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, means mounting theend of the arm remote from the needle carrying end thereof on saidcarrier for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said rotaryelement including a cam flat disc having a peripheral cam surface and adepression in its plane surface, an arm on said carrier engaging theperipheral cam surface for shifting the tone arm carrier about itsvertical axis, and a pin extending vertically through the carrier withits upper end engaging the tone arm and its lower end engaging thedepression for effecting movement of the tone arm about its horizontalaxis.

PETRUS A. DE BOER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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